Questions / Answers

Liquid paraffin is an ingredient that has been used for several decades in cosmetic products. It is an inert, non-comedogenic compound used as a moisturizing agent and has a very good skin tolerance. It softens the skin and protects it from environmental irritations. Paraffin does not penetrate the skin barrier. 
Liquid paraffin belongs to the family of mineral oils. According to the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BFR), the use of cosmetic products containing mineral oils does not involve any health risks.
Our Paraffin is of European Pharmacopoeia quality and is therefore purified. It is safe but suffers from the poor reputation of oils used in other industries which are of lower quality.
 

Because of our status as a healthcare company, we have chosen to have our own cosmetovigilance department within our laboratories for 25 years, in order to ensure the safety of consumers during the use of our products after they have been placed on the market, in all countries where they are marketed.
This international organization, with its network of experts, constantly monitors and re-evaluates the safety of our products by collecting, validating and analyzing, using rigorous and recognized methodologies, adverse events linked to the use of a cosmetic product.
Thanks to this network and feedback, the safety of our products continues to be closely monitored throughout their marketing. 
It is only after an in-depth study of this feedback from consumers or health professionals that we can continuously improve the formulas of our products.

The testing of cosmetic products on animals has been banned in the European Union since September 2004. For cosmetic ingredients, most tests were banned in March 2009 and then totally banned in March 2013. Companies can therefore no longer use data from animal testing to establish the safety assessments required for the marketing of a cosmetic product in the European Union. 
This total ban follows more than 30 years of efforts by cosmetics companies to develop alternative methods to animal testing. The cosmetics industry is unique in having successfully abandoned all animal testing. 
To date, more than 200 alternative methods to animal testing have been approved by the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). These methods developed by the cosmetics sector represent genuine scientific progress and are used in many other fields besides cosmetics, such as the medical industry.

Our dermo-cosmetic products and active ingredients follow a demanding assessment process for tolerance and efficacy, from in vitro to humans. 
Since 1995, we have used in vitro methods that are alternatives to animal testing, approved by the OECD and available on the market, such as cell cultures, molecular modeling, imaging techniques, etc. 
In addition, for more than 30 years, we have developed a whole variety of tests in-house to assess the efficacy of our active ingredients and dermo-cosmetic products in vitro and ex vivo: 
1)  On cells directly isolated either from skin or hair, 
2) On three-dimensional cell cultures and in particular reconstructed skin models that can imitate almost perfectly the physiology of cells in vivo. 
In 2008, we created our own skin tissue engineering laboratory, located in our Toulouse-Oncopole Innovation Center, where five employees work. 
Each year we evaluate in vitro the efficacy of more than 100 formulas and over 200 active ingredients. 

Our dermo-cosmetic care products do not escape the fundamental rules of medical and pharmaceutical rigour, which requires that nothing be claimed without having been proven. 
In fact, all the information on our packaging has been the object of clinical studies to verify its veracity.
We carry out pre-clinical in vitro tests, and then in vivo clinical tolerance tests and efficacy tests on volunteers. These tests are carried out under dermatological and/or ophthalmological and/or paediatric and/or gynaecological control and with the help of high-performance measuring instruments.

PEGs (Polyethylene Glycol) are substances widely used in cosmetic products mainly as humectants, to "retain" water and prevent skin dryness. They are also emulsifying agents. 
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) has reviewed the science and concluded that PEGs are safe as used in cosmetic products and do not exhibit irritant properties. 
They are sometimes criticized because of their manufacturing process; however, our suppliers are familiar with the PEG manufacturing process. We impose very strict and precise specifications on them. In addition, we carry out strict controls on the reception of our raw materials.

The Pierre Fabre dermo-cosmetic Group, conducts 750
to 1050 clinical studies in microbiology, physico-chemistry, compatibility or even
stability on its products.
We pass 4 to 5 clinical safety and efficacy evaluations to each of our formulas before validating them.
We systematically check the ingredients, packaging and products on each batch manufactured.
After the products have been marketed, we also ensure their long-term follow-up
with clinical studies submitted to ethical committees.
Finally, we review our products regularly, based on feedback
cosmetovigilance and quality as well as scientific and regulatory advances.

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